It is challenging to create a loop-free Ethernet network for unicast and multicast traffic that guarantees shortest paths, especially in a large network of plural nodes with a mesh topology. Because data transmission is based on broadcasting traffic among all the nodes until MAC learning is achieved and data transmitted between the nodes in the network take the shortest paths, the data can loop indefinitely around the nodes and cause throughput and performance degradation.
In order to prevent data from indefinitely looping around the nodes of the network, some links connecting the nodes will be blocked to prevent the transmission of data indefinitely between any two nodes.
Although the blocked links in the network prevent data from looping around the network, data traveling between nodes connected by blocked links must always take a longer path in the network.
Accordingly, a system and method for loop-free forwarding of data in a network with the shortest data paths and/or with fast failure recovery, is needed.